KK100 (Kingkey 100)

KK100, also called Kingkey 100, is a supertall skyscraper in Shenzhen, a big city in southern China. It has 100 floors and rises 442 meters, about 1,450 feet. It stands in the Luohu district, roughly one kilometer north of the border with Hong Kong.

It was finished in 2011 and was designed by the British firm TFP Farrells. Its tall, thin body bends inward near the top and ends in a glass crown. Sources describe it as the tallest building ever designed by a British architect, and for years it was Shenzhen's tallest tower. The 100 in its name matches its number of floors. Because it is so slim and so tall, it stands out among the towers around it.

What is inside KK100?

Most of the tower is made of offices, and a hotel takes a large block of floors near the top. The St. Regis hotel opened inside it in September 2011, and its lobby is up on the 96th floor. The very top four floors hold a garden and several restaurants. Next door is the KK Mall, which opened in November 2010 and had the first IMAX cinema in Shenzhen. Fast Mitsubishi elevators carry people up at about 9 meters every second, so the ride to the lobby is short.

How slim is it?

KK100 is very narrow for its height. Its height is about 9.5 times its width, which makes it one of the slimmest tall buildings in China. Skyscrapers like this need careful engineering so they stay steady in wind. In December 2011 the building won fourth place in an international skyscraper award given by the Emporis company. In front of the tower there is a water fountain, and near the top there is an observation deck where visitors can look out over the city.

On the globe

The model shows a slim glass tower whose sides curve inward at the top into a glowing crown with a sky garden. Zoom in close to see the narrow shape that makes it look so tall.